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Georgia, Clemson raise fee to cancel 2013-14 series

Georgia and Clemson have agreed to increase the cancellation fee for their scheduled football games in 2013 and 2014 to make it more costly for either to get out of playing the games.

It would cost either school $3 million if they bailed out of one of the scheduled games, an increase of $2.5 million from the $500,000 fee in the original contract, according to an addendum to the game contract obtained by the Athens Banner-Herald in an open records request.

Both schools committed to keeping the games even with the Atlantic Coast Conference planning to increase the number of league games its teams play to nine.

Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips wrote in a letter to Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity on April 17 that serves as an addendum to the game contract that “despite conference realignment and the expected increase in conference games required by the Atlantic Coast Conference, we are both committed to maintaining the football series between Clemson Universiy and the University of Georgia to play football in 2013 and 2014. To further solidify that commitment and protect either institution from the loss of revenue should either game within that series be cancelled without mutal consent, we have agreed to amend section 15 of the contract agreement and set the cancellation fee at $3,000,000.” Both athletic directors have signed the addendum.

Georgia is scheduled to play at Clemson to open the 2013 season and Clemson would play in Athens in 2014.

In another scheduling item, Georgia and Georgia Tech have set their men’s basketball game for this upcoming season for Tuesday, Dec. 4 at McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta. That’s the new name for the renovated arena formerly called Alexander Memorial Coliseum.